According to The Evening Standard, Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel could be in trouble thanks to his comments against referee Anthony Taylor ahead of the club’s win over Brentford last Saturday.
The Blues won the hard-fought game 1-0 to retain the top spot in the Premier League table. While the club might have come off unscathed on the night, Tuchel could find himself in a spot of bother.
Tuchel was informed about a supporter-led petition demanding Taylor be removed from future Chelsea games ahead of the match. This was following the referee’s performance in the draw with Liverpool in August that saw Reece James sent off.
Tuchel to his credit did not fall into the trap. He dismissed any concerns about Taylor when asked about the referee on Friday. However, his comments could still be a breach of FA Rule E3.1, which could see him charged with a charge and fine.
“I trust in the referees and I trust in Anthony Taylor that he will try to have the best performance.”
While the German did not say anything untoward against the official, even mentioning them is a breach of the FA rules. According to the report, he is likely to be warned about future conduct, rather than get punished severely.
Both Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola were warned by the FA over comments he made about Taylor in the past ahead of games against Liverpool and Manchester United respectively. It would be unfair if Tuchel is given a harsher sentence.
If anything rather than punish managers, the FA will do well to draft a code of conduct for reporters asking managers such pointed questions. If anything the Chelsea boss was just responding to a direct question made to him.
Tuchel for his part is a largely measured person who offers a nuanced response in pressers. There is little to suggest he meant any damage or hinted at any malice by taking the referee’s name.
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